Mounting structures



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ALmL STOPPS BYI Filed April 27, 1964 OLD ART FIG.

u s m an m C x 2 N 37 87 m 1 a W s Q MwW .W [M ll 1/ M H N H u m a w s E mm M 0 R T 58 .G m o M 6 6 9 1 4 1 e m J 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4

Filed April 2'7, 1964 FIG.3

INVENTOR v ALFRED L. STOPPS BYI fiow PATENT AGENTS 3,255,656 MOUNTING STRUCTURES Alfred L. Stopps, West Flamhorough, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Modern Handling Methods Limited, Duntlas, Ontario, Canada Filed Apr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,773 17 Claims. (Cl. 83-685) The present invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to mounting structures for mounting associated members for linear movement relative to one another, and is concerned especially, but not exclusively, with die sets which are employed to mount a punch and die for movement relative to one another.

The term die set is commonly employed in the punch press art to refer to the device by which the punch and die are mounted for accurate movement relative to one another, the die set being mountable as a single unit between the bed and the movable ram of the press. A die set is a particular example of many pieces of equipment in which it is desired to move two members accurately relative to one another with a reciprocating motion. In a conventional die set known hitherto the punch and the die are mounted on relatively massive retainers, which are guided for the desired relative linear movement by at least two pins, each pin projecting from one of the retainers and sliding in an associated guide in the other retainer. There is a continuing need for extreme accuracy in the design and production of such die sets and/or presses in order to obtain a product in which the manufacturing tolerances have been held to within close limits. In recent years in order to meet customers requirements these tolerances have been reduced, until in many cases they are of the order of a fraction of a thousandth of an inch.

It is difiicult to maintain such precision with known mounting structures, for three main reasons:

(a) The sliding engaging surfaces of the guide means, and the members guided thereby, must have some clearance between them and this clearance is of the same order as the tolerances allowed.

(b) The said sliding engaging surfaces must be lubricated, and the thickness of the lubricating film is also of the same order as the working tolerances.

(c) The difliculty of maintaining exact parallelism between the relatively moving members over their full range of movement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new mounting structure for mounting associated members for linear relative movement.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a new die set construction.

It is another particular object of the invention to provide a new press construction.

It is a further particular object of the invention to provide a new die set construction and/or a new press construction in which the relatively movable parts thereof are constrained for precise movement relative to one another, without the use of guide means comprising sliding or rubbing components.

It is a still further particular object of the invention to provide a new die set construction and/or a new press construction in which accurate parallelism is inherently maintained between the relatively movable parts thereof. It is a still further particular object to provide a die set which is a compact unit inherently capable of higher speeds of operation than the die sets known hitherto.

According to the present invention there is provided a mounting structure for mounting first and second associated members for linear movement which is relative to one another and is in predetermined opposite directions,

' United States Patent Patented June 14, 1966 the mounting structure comprising, a first relatively rigid mounting member, a first deflectable member, means mounting the first deflectable member on the first mounting member to have a portion thereof capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said portion, a second deflectable member spaced from the first deflectable member, means mounting the second deflectable member on the first mounting member to have a portion thereof capable of linear movement relative to the said mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said portion, a second relatively rigid mounting member, means mounting the said second mounting member between the said first and second deflectable members for movement in the said opposite directions by the said deflection of the first and second member deflectable portions, and means for mounting the said two associated members respectively on said first and second mounting members.

More specifically, in accordance with the present invention there is provided a punch and die set comprising inner and outer cylinders with the inner cylinder mounted within the outer cylinder, first and second diaphragms mounted by their rims in the neighborhood of respective ends of the outer cylinder, means connecting one end of the inner cylinder to the central portion of one diaphragm and the other end of the inner cylinder to the central portion of the other diaphragm, means for mounting a punch on one of the cylinders, and means for mounting a die on the other of the two cylinders,

Particular preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a conventional die set known hitherto,

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal cross-section through a die set embodying the invention,

FIGURES 3 to 6 are perspective views of other die set constructions embodying the invention, parts thereof being shown broken away for clarity of illustration, and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of a punch press embodying the invention.

tioned above, clearance must be provided to enable the pins 12 to slide freely in their guides, adequate lubrication must be ensured, and accurate parallelism must be maintained between the retainers over their full range of movement.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the die set shown therein comprises a first,- relatively-rigid mounting structure, constituted by a first outer cylinder 14 of circular cross-section having radially extending flanges 15 and 16 at its ends, and a second, relatively-rigid mounting structure, constituted by a second inner cylinder 17, also of circular cross-section, and disposed within the first cylinder so that the longitudinal axes of the two cylinders are coincident. The outer cylinder normally is mounted on and fixed to a machine base, which is not shown herein, and is separable into two parts 14a and 14b in a horizontal plane,

, the parts being connected together by fastening means (not shown) passing through flanges 18 and 19, provided respectively on the parts 14a and 14b; The inner cylinder is mounted for reciprocating movement relative to the outer cylinder in opposite direct-ions (as indicated by the oppositely-directed arrows and 21), by means of first and second spaced defiectable members, which in this embodiment are constituted by two circular diaphragrns 22 and 23. The diaphragrns have their circular periph eral edge portions mounted in corresponding receses of the respective end flanges of the cylinder 14, the said peripheral edge portions being held firmly in the recesses by respective clamping rings 24 and 25.

The ends of the inner cylinder are closed by corresponding circular end plates 26 and 27, and the centre portion of each plate is connected by a respective pin 28 and 29 to the defiectable centre portion of the associated diaphragm. Each pin extends completely through its associated diaphragm and provides an enlarged head 30 and 31 respectively for engagement by a suitable mechanism for applying a pulsating force to the inner cylinder 17. A retainer 32 for a punch 33 is fastened to the inner cylinder 17, while a retainer 34 for a die 35 is mounted on the intermediate flange 18 of the cylinder part 14a.

Access openings 36 and 37 are provided in the inner and outer cylinders respectively to enable the material to be punched, which will usually be in the form of a continuous strip, to be fed into and out of the die set. A chute 38 extends into the interiors of the cylinders, through respective access-openings 39 and 4b, to catch the punchings from the die and to convey them to a station outside the die set.

Since each diaphragm has its edge fastened rigidly to the relatively rigid outer cylinder, only its centre portion is capable of deflection upon the application of a deflecting force thereto. By employing two diaphragrns spaced apart with their defiectable centre port-ions connected together by the relatively rigid inner cylinder, once the inner cylinder longitudinal axis and the common line of deflection of the two diaphragrns have been made parallel, they will remain so aligned, enabling accurate parallelism to be maintained between the punch and die retainers. Provided that the deflections of the diaphragrns do not exceed their allowable elastic limit, the inner cylinder may be reciprocated repeatedly at relatively high speed without the need of sliding guiding surfaces, and without the need of lubrication. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the elimination of sliding or rubbing components from the die set also eliminates the need for the conventional lubrication, maintenance, or replacement of any parts other than the die and punch. It will also be noted that the inner cylinder can be reciprocated by a unidirectional pulsating force applied to one head 30 or 31, since the diaphragrns will limit the movement of the punch in the direction of the applied force and return it in the opposite direction. However, in order to obtain relative movement of the punch and die of the required magnitude, it may be desired to use a mechanism which provides a positive actuating force in both directions, and, for example, such mechanism may apply a undirect'ional pulsating force alternately to the two heads 30 and 31.

It is found that a die set in accordance with the invention has a number of highly important, additional advantages. For example, it is found that the set is capable of operation at much higher speeds than the conventional known equipment since, at the end of the stroke in each direction, the two diaphragrns are highly stressed, and in addition to aiding the reciprocating mechanism in stopping the movement of the punch at the end of the stroke, they also assist it in accelerating the punch in its movement back in the opposite direction.

Again, for example, the relative velocity between the punch and die at the moment of impact with the material to be punched can be made to be substantially higher than the velocity of movement at that moment of the mechanism applying the operating force, and the punching velocity can be controlled by adjustment of the extent to which the diaphragrns are stressed at the end of each stroke. Moreover, complete control is obtained of the penetration of the punch into the die, because of the pre-' cision and rigidity of the alignment and the elimination of the need for clearances between sliding engaging parts. The new die set provides much better structural rigidity than is possible with the conventional die sets known hitherto, and also provides complete shielding from dust and other foreign matter for the die components.

It may also be noted that the new construction is inherently safer in operation, since the cylinders enclosing the punch and die and their retainers make it difiicult, if not impossible, for an operator to insert his hand between the moving parts.

The die sets embodying the invention and shown in FIGURES 3 to 6 are functionally equivalent to that shown in FIGURE 2, the major ditference being in the nature and arrangement of the spaced defiectable members that are used to mount the rigid mounting members for movement relative to one another. Thus, in the embodiment of FIGURE 3, the members 22 and 23 comprise two spaced beams of rectangular cross-section, with the smaller dimension disposed parallel to the longitudinal cylinder axes, so that the beams are more readily defiectable in directions parallel to those axes than in any other directions. The ends of the beams are engaged in slots in the flanges 15 and 16 held rigidly therein by the clamping rings 24 and 25. The longitudinal axes of the two beams are parallel to one another and they are defiected by pulsating forces applied to the centre of either or both beams.

The embodiment of FIGURE 4 differs from the two preceding embodiments in that both of the cylinders are of square cross-section. The defiectable members are again constituted by two beams, but in this embodiment they are disposed with their longitudinal axes at right angles to one another.

FIGURE 5 shows two further forms which the deflectable members may take, the upper part of the figure illustrating a four-armed member, and the lower part illustrating a six-armed member, both members being intended to have the ends of all their arms fixed rigidly to the first relatively rigid mounting member, and tohave the second relatively rigid mounting member connected at the junction of the arms.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 6 differs from all of the preceding embodiments in that it is the inner cylinder 17 which is stationary, e.g. by being fixed to a machine base, while the outer cylinder 14 is reciprocated by a force applied to either or both ends, as indicated by the arrows 20 and 21. The two cylinders are connected by an upper defiectable member 22 comprising a diaphragm having its centre portion rigidly connected by the pin 28 to the fixed inner cylinder, and its outer edge clamped to the movable outer cylinder, and by a lower defiectable member comprising a diaphragm 23 having an intermediate part thereof connected to the inner cylinder, while the outer edge is clamped to the outer cylinder. It will be seen that in such a construction it is the outer circular edges of the diaphragrns that constitute the defiectable portions of the defiectable members. In an equivalent embodiment using multi-armed members the members would be fastened at their centres to the fixed mounting member and the other member would be reciprocated by deflection of the ends of their arms.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, the punch press illus trated therein as another particular embodiment of the invention comprises a first, stationary, relatively-rigid mounting member 14, comprising a flat-topped bed 41 of rectangular shape as seen in plan and provided with four feet 42 disposed at its corners. Four upwardly-extending corner posts 43 are fastened at their lower ends to the bed 41, and are connected together at their upper ends by transverse members 44. The two defiectable members 22 and 23 are also of rectangular section as seen in plan,

and are disposed one above and one below the press bed,

each deflectable member having two opposite edges fastened rigidly to the mounting member 14 by corresponding transversely-extending clamping members 45 and 46. The second, movable, relatively-rigid mounting member 17 comprises two end members 47 and 48, of rectangular shape as seen in plan, having their centres connected respectively to the centres of the deflectable members 22 and 23 by fastening members 49 and 50, and connected rigidly together by four vertically-extending corner posts 51, which pass with ample clearance through respective apertures in the bed 41. A ram 52 is connected to the member 17, as for example by bolts 53 engaged in vertically elongated slots in support members 54 fastened to the corner posts 51, in a manner which permits adjustment of its vertical position relative to the remainder of the member 17, so as to permit adjustment of the vertical spacing between the bed and the ram.

A driving source (not illustrated) for applying the necessary pulsating force to the movable member 17 may be mounted in the upper part of the member 14, the force being applied to the member via the upper fastening member 491 A die set, or any other device to be operated by the press is mounted in any suitable manner between the bed and the ram. In a device of the size of a die set the diaphragms, or other deflectable members, conveniently are formed as a single member, e.g. by cutting from sheet material, but in a device of the size of a'punch press, the deflectable members may be formed as a more complex structure e.g. from a plurality of laminations of different shapes and/ or deflection characteristics.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular combinations of deflectable members and mounting structures illustrated herein, but instead any of the deflectable members disclosed herein may be used in combination with any of the mounting-structures dis closed herein.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A mounting structure for mounting first and second associated members for linear movement which is relative to one another and is in predetermined opposite directions, the mounting structure comprising, a first relativelyrigid mounting member, a first deflectable member, means mounting the first deflectable member on the first mounting member to have a portion of the deflectable member capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said portion thereof, a second deflectable member spaced from the first deflectable member, means mounting the second deflectable member on the first mounting member to have a portion of the deflectable member capable of linear movement relative to the said mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the portion thereof, a second relatively-rigid mounting member, means mounting the said second mounting member between the said first and second deflectable members for movement in the said opposite directions upon the said deflection of the first and second member deflectable portions, and means for mounting the said two associated members respectively on said first and second mounting members.

2. A mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the said deflectable members is more readily deflectable in the said predetermined opposite direction than in any other directions.

3. A mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the said deflectable members comprises an elongated beam member of transverse cross-section having a major dimension and a minor dimension, and the direction of the said 'minor dimension is at least approximately parallel to the said opposite directions.

4. A mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the said deflectable members comprise a multi-armed beam member having the said deflectable portion at the inter-section of the arms thereof.

5. A mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the said deflectable members comprises an elongated beam member, the said two members are mounted with their directions of elongation in planes which are parallel to one another, and the said directions of elongation are at right angles to one another.

6. A mounting-structure for mounting first and secon associated members for linear movement which is relative to one another and is in predetermined opposite directions, the mounting structure comprising, a first relatively rigid mounting member, a first diaphragm, means mounting the first diaphragm on the first mounting member to have the central portion of the diaphragm capable of linear movement in the said opposite directions relative to the mounting means by deflection of the said central portion relative to the remainder of the diaphragm, a second diaphragm spaced from the first diaphragm, means mounting the second diaphragm onv the first mounting member to have the central portion of the diaphragm capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said central portion relative to the remainder of the diaphragm, a lSCOI1d relatively-rigid mounting member, means mounting the said second mounting member between the said first and second diaphragms for movement in the said opposite directions upon the said deflection of the central portions of the diaphragms, and means for mounting the said two associated member-s respectively on said first and second mounting members.

7. A mounting structure for mounting first and second associated members for linear movement which is relative to one another and is in predetermined opposite directions, the mounting structure comprising, a first relatively-rigid mounting member, a first diaphragm, means mounting the first diaphragm on the first mounting mernber to have the rim portion of the diaphragm capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said rim portion relative to the remainder of the diaphragm, a second diaphragm spaced from the first diaphragm, means mounting the second diaphragm on the first mounting member to have the rim portion of the diaphragm capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said rim portion relative to the remainder of the diaphragm, a second relatively-rigid mounting member, means mounting the said second mounting member between the said first and second diaphragms for movement in the said opposite directions upon the said deflection ofthe rim portions of the diaphragms, and means for mounting the said two associated members respectively on said first and second mounting members.

8. A punch and die set -for mounting a punch and die for linear reciprocating movement relative to one another, comprising a first relatively rigid cylinder having a longitudinal axis, a first diaphragm, means mounting the first diaphragm by its rim on the said first cylinder to have the central portion of the diaphragm capable of deflection in directions parallel to the cylinder longitudinal axis, a second diaphragm spaced from the finst diaphragm, means mounting the second diaphragm by its rim on the said firsticylinder to have the central portion of the diaphragm capable of deflection in directions parallel to the cylinder longitudinal axis, a second relatively-rigid cylinder having a longitudinal axis and disposed within the first cylinder with their longitudinal axes colinea-r, means mounting the second cylinder between the said central portions of the said first and second diaphragms, and means for mounting the punch and die respectively on the first and second cylinders. I

9. A punch and die set comprising outer and inner cylinders of cincular crosseection with the inner cylinder mounted within the outer cylinder, first and second diaphragms mounted by their rims in the neighbourhood of respective ends of the outer cylinder, means connecting one end of the inner cylinder to the central portion of one diaphragm and the other end of the inner cylinder to the central portion of the other diaphragm, means for mounting a punch on one of the two cylindens, and means for mounting a die on the other of the two cylinders.

10.- A punch and die set as claimed in claim 8, and comprising means connected to the second, inner cylinder and extending through at least one of the diaphragms to permit the application to the second, inner cylinder of a force for moving it relative to the first, outer cylinder which is stationary.

11. A punch and die set as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said mounting means for the said punch and die are mounted between the two diaphragms.

12. A punch and die set as claimed in claim 8, and including a chute disposed to receive by gravity punchings from the die, and extending through the walls of the two cylinders to discharge the received punchings to the exterior of both cylinders.

13. In a punch and die set, a horizontally extending punch member and a complementary horizontally extending die member, a vertical hollow component solely supporting one of said members in position extending across the component, a second vertical hollow component freely contained within the first component and solely supporting the other of said members in position extend ing across the second component; means solely supported by the first component and solely supporting the second component and permitting the second component a restricted reciprocatory movement in relation to the first component under intermittently applied vertically directed force, said means comprising a pair of spaced apart diaphragmdike plates positioned one below the other, said plates being respectively mounted above and below the punch and die members and having their perimeter portions attached in fixed relationship to the first component and their inner central portions attached in fixed relationship to the second component.

14. In a punch and die set comprising a punch member and a die member so arranged that one of said members is capable of a reciprocating linear movement along a fixed path towards and away from the other member under intermittently applied force, and wherein a pair of components support the die and punch members, one of said members being attached to one of said components in immovable relation thereto and the other of said members being attached to the other of said components in immovable relation thereto; means permitting reciprocating movement of one component in relation to the other component and along the same path as the said path of movement of one of said members, said means comprising a pair of spaced apart relatively thin resilient plates jointly supporting one of said components and between which plates the die member and punch member are located, the plates being positioned to intersect prolongations of said path of movement of one of said members and capable of deflection and return from deflection under momentarily applied and released force, the outer portions of each of said plates being anchored in fixed relationship to one of said components and the central portions of each of said plates anchored in fixed relationship to the other of said components.

15. A press comprising a first relatively rigid mounting member, a planar press bed provided by the first member, a first deflectable member, means mounting the first defiectable member on the mounting member to have a portion of the defiectable member capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in opposite directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of the press bed by deflection of the said portion thereof, a second defiectable member spaced from the first defiectable member, means mounting the second defiectable member on the finst mounting member to have a portion of the defiectable member capable of linear movement relative to the said mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said portion thereof, a second relativelyrigid mounting member, a press ram on said second mounting member, and means mounting the said second mounting member between the said first and second deflectable members for movement in the said opposite directions upon the said deflection of the first and second member defiectable portions.

16. A press comprising a first relatively-rigid mounting member, a planar press bed provided by the first member, a first defiectable member, means mounting the first deflectable member on the mounting member above the said press bed to have a portion of the defiectable member capable of linear movement relative to the mounting means in opposite directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of the press bed by deflection of the said portion thereof, a second defiectable member spaced from the first deflectable member, means mounting the second deflectable member on the first mounting member below the said press bed to have a portion of the defiectable member capable of linear movement relative to the said mounting means in the said opposite directions by deflection of the said portion thereof, a second relatively-rigid mounting member, a press ram on said second mounting member, and means mounting the said second mounting member between the said first and second defiectable members for movement in the said opposite directions upon the said deflection of the first and second member defiectable portions.

17. A press comprising a first rectangular plan, relatively-rigid framework providing a planar press bed, first and second spaced rectangular plan deflectable members, mounting means engaging two opposite edges of each of the said defiectable members to mount the deflectable members one above and the other below the press bed substantially parallel thereto with their centre portions capable of linear movement relative to the press bed in opposite directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of the press bed, a second rectangular plan, relatively-rigid framework providing a press ram, and means mounting the second framework between the said decctable member centre portions for movement in the said opposite directions.

No references cited.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR MOUNTING FIRST AND SECOND ASSOCIATED MEMBERS FOR LINEAR MOVEMENT WHICH IS RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER AND IS IN PREDETERMINED OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, THE MOUNTING STRUCTURE COMPRISING, A FIRST RELATIVELYRIGID MOUNTING MEMBER, A FIRST DEFLECTABLE MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING THE FIRST DEFLECTABLE MEMBER ON THE FIRST MOUNTING MEMBER TO HAVE A PORTION OF THE DEFLECTABLE MEMBER CAPABLE OF LINEAR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE MOUNTING MEANS IN THE SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS BY DEFLECTION OF THE SAID PORTION THEREOF, A SECOND DEFLECTABLE MEMBER SPACED FROM THE FIRST DEFLECTABLE MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING THE SECOND DEFLECTABLE MEMBER ON THE FIRST MOUNTING MEMBER TO HAVE A PORITON OF THE DEFLECTABLE MEMBER CAPABLE OF LINEAR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO THE SAID MOUNTING MEANS IN THE SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS BY DEFLECTION OF THE PORTION THEREOF, A SECOND RELATIVELY-RIGID MOUNTING MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING THE SAID SECOND MOUNTING MEMBER BETWEEN THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND DEFLECTABLE MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT IN THE SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS UPON THE SAID DEFLECTION OF THE FIRST AND SECOND MEMBER DEFLECTABLE PORTIONS, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAID TWO ASSOCIATED MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY ON SAID FIRST AND SECOND MOUNTING MEMBERS. 